A Boot Scootin' Party

Christa Jean,

even "your" cows wanted to be nearby

and

celebrate you!

The only time they stopped by all weekend,

and they certainly added to the décor...

you certainly are a "cow"girl!

And thanks for wanting this themed party,

which forced me to buy BOOTS!!

(They're too pretty to put away...lol)

Your love for life

(and Karma Cream)

is contagious,

and affects all who cross your path.

Keep spreading the love,

cause it comes right back round to you!

(that could be a lyric in a country song!)

 Happy Birthday, Dear Daughter,

and may this next year

be as wonderful to you

as you are to all of us!

And keep on dancing!

Be Still My Heart!

Apparently,

I have a granddaughter who loves museums!

(they do say some things skip a generation!)

So,

you can imagine my delight when,

on a day all of us simultaneously had off from work,

she chose to fit in as many museums as possible.

Be still my heart!

And here is the evidence....

Cummer Museum

Charlie and Michelle's favorite....

I was ecstatic to see a piece by Benjamin West

and excitedly said to Michelle

"Remember that favorite book I read

to you girls a number of times in your childhood!  We all loved it!"

 

 She gave me a blank stare.

Well, I loved it,

(I even referenced it in one of my college papers!)

and I pulled it off the bookshelf to read it once more as a family

ha-ha.

 

Another side note...

years ago, Michelle and Hope took a cross-country trip,

zigzagging from Berkeley to Jersey then down to Florida

(how was I not on that whole trip with them!?!?!

although I did make the Jersey to Florida portion with them!)

I was on the phone with Michelle as she was driving through

Montana? North Dakota?

and she interrupts our conversation with a

"Oh wow, just saw a deer! Wait! Maybe it was a rabbit!"

WHAT?!?

"How do you mistake a rabbit for a deer?!" I ask!

Well, here's how.....

The five-year-old came out in all of us...

My favorite piece...

Finishing at the Cummer,

we jumped in the car to head to the

Museum of Contemporary Art,

but got caught up in the activities at

Hemming Park....

Listening to some "Sitting on the Dock of the Bay"...

very, very good street musicians...

and stopping to admire the street art....

We did make it to the

Museum of Science and History

and closed out the day enjoying city life!

As you can imagine,

this is a day I want to recreate sooner rather than later.

There are more museums to explore!

Hope, are you ready!!

The Story of the $5 Heirloom

Many, many years ago,

I came across the perfect oak rocking chair at

a garage sale on a brick-paved St. Pete street.

The chair had already seen much use

evident by the difference in shading of the stain on the seat.

A lot of rocking was a part of its past

and

a lot of rocking was a part of its future as all of my girls

fell asleep numerous times by its motion.

Well,

this rocker made its way to Asheville

and felt very much at home there.

But,

as fate would have it,

a move from one house to another proved disastrous.

And the chair got smushed...to smithereens.

When Rachel took me down to their basement

and showed me during one of my visits,

well, we just both stared sadly.

Another move was made,

and the broken pieces went along...

after all how do you throw away memories!

Then,

late the other night,

I received this text and picture from Joseph...

Once again,

do you see how I love the men in my girls' lives.

More evidence.

What a heart!

And, yes, Rachel did freak...

and I had sentimental tears in my eyes!

^^Lucy, enjoy!^^

So now,

I'll have to quickly make my way back to AVL

to test out the sturdiness of the rocker! 

Oh bummer!

Such a chore!

hee-hee

Thank you, Joseph,

for surprising my girl in such a wonderful way!